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Towadhim
Towadhim Towadhim (Towadhism) is a nontheistic religion that encompasses a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices largely based on teachings attributed to Guru Afsin, who is commonly known as Jagradek, meaning "the awakened one". Adherents of Towadhim are referred to as Towadhi. Towadhi believe that they have a spiritual connection to an eternal, universal life-force known as Alaam from which they emerge and return to through a cycle of birth and death. Towadhi believe it is their duty to thus work to better themselves and society to honor Alaam. Religious concepts and practices include the five virtues and five vices, which serve as a guide to the manner in which one should live their lives, Rusta (The Path) law, which touches on virtually every aspect of life and society, providing guidance on multifarious topics from banking and welfare, to family life and the environment, and Ekjutha, which is system of communal living and cooperation practiced by devout Towadhi. Alaam Towadhim has no concept of a creator god, or well defined concept of spiritual or supernatural beings, though adherents may believe in superstitious beings and figures of earlier tribal beliefs. Instead, there exists a concept of a universe that is interconnected. In this belief divinity and the material and spiritual universe are one. For Towadhi, there is the understanding that all being is interrelated, that all are all linked with the cosmos as parts of one living organism. What affects one affects all, being jointly imbued with a life force or spiritual energy. Guru Afsin states that the understanding of Alaam is beyond human beings, but at the same time not wholly unknowable. Alaam is omnipresent in all creation and visible everywhere to the spiritually awakened. It is all-knowing, and yet not sentient in the conventional sense. Afsin stressed that Alaam must be seen from "the inward eye", or the "heart", of a human being: devotees must meditate to progress towards enlightenment. Guru Afsin emphasized the revelation through meditation, as its rigorous application permits one to form a connection with all else. In the Towadhi belief, Alaam ireflects its state through events in the physical world, manifesting itself through the nature of human society and the environment. It is falsely believed by many that Towadhim states that natural disasters are a consequence of disturbances to Alaam. It is true however, that Towadhim holds humans as the sole species able to influence the state and health of Alaam. The Ekathi Mantar, the opening line of the b states the following. “There is but one god, and truth is its name! It exists in all creation; it does not fear; it does not hate; it is timeless and universal and self-existent, by the grace of knowledge.” Salvation Guru Afsin's teachings are founded not on a final destination of heaven or hell but on a spiritual union with Alaam through one’s actions (Athihad). Guru Afsin makes it clear that human birth is obtained with great fortune, and therefore one needs to be able to make the most of this life. There has been some confusion among scholars, interpreting the pertinent religious texts as evidence that Towadhi believe in reincarnation as the same as that in Hinduism and Buddhism when such is not the case. There exists no concept of liberation from the circle of birth and death, but one of using human life to strengthen and heal Alaam. Mayam, defined as a temporary illusion or "unreality", is one of the core deviations from the pursuit athihad where worldly attractions which give only illusory temporary satisfaction and pain which distract the process of the ekjutha. However, Afsin emphasized mayam as not a reference to the unreality of the world, but of its values. In Towadhim, the influences of egotism (hankaar), anger (krodh), greed (lobh), attachment (moh), apathy (udasintha), and lust (kaam), known as the six vices, are believed to be particularly distracting and hurtful. Towadhi believe the world is currently in a state of darkness because the world is lead astray by the love of and attachment to mayam, weakening Alaam. The six vices are countered by the six virtues, these being truthfulness (sat), contentment (santokh), compassion (daya), humility (nimrata), love (pyaar), and righteousness (dharma). Sat is the virtue of truthful living, which means practicing honesty, justice, impartiality and fair play. Santokh, or contentment, is freedom from ambition, envy, greed and jealousy. Without contentment, it is impossible to acquire peace of mind. The exercise of Daya, or compassion, involves considering another's difficulty or sorrow as one's own and helping to relieve it as far as possible. Compassion also includes the overlooking of imperfections and mistakes of others, for to err is human. Nimrata, is seen through the express of of humility, benevolence or "humbleness. Pyaar is simply the act of being filled with love of the self, and all living things. Finally, dharma is the act of being unwavering in the pursuit of justice. According to Afsin the supreme purpose of human life is athihad, however, apathy is the biggest barrier in doing this. Guru Afsin designated the word 'guru' (meaning teacher) to mean the voice of Alaam, serving as the source of knowledge and the guide to salvation. One connects with guru only with accumulation of selfless search of truth. Ultimately the seeker realizes that it is the consciousness within the body which is follower and that the word is the true guru. The human body is just a means to achieve the reunion with truth. Once truth starts to shine in a person’s heart, they come to understand the essence of existtance itself and the value of all about them. While meditation is an essential aspect of Towadhim, it is unfruitful without service and action. Towadhi are taught that selfless service, or seva, and charitable work enables the devotee to make effective what is cognitive. Service in Towadhim takes three forms, namely physical service, mental service (such as studying to help others), and material service. Guru Afsin stressed that a devotee should balance work, celebration, and charity, and should defend the rights of all human beings. They are encouraged to have an optimistic, resilient, view of life. Towadhi teachings also stress the concept of sharing, giving charitable donations, and working for the good of the community and others. Towadhi Societal Practices The role of women in Towadhim is outlined in the, which states that the woman is to be regarded as equal to the man. They are allowed to lead congregations and participate in all religious, cultural, social, and secular activities, including martial exercises. As such, Towadhim was among the first major world religions to imply that women were equals to men. Towadhi history has recorded the role of women, portraying them as pairs in service, devotion, sacrifice, and bravery to men. Examples of women's moral dignity, service, and self-sacrifice are common in the Towadhi tradition. According to Towadhim, men and women are two sides of the same coin of the human. There is a system of inter-relation and inter-dependence in which man takes birth from a woman, and woman is born of a man's seed. Guru Afsan, reportedly said in 1499 that "it is woman who keeps the race going" and that we should not "consider woman cursed and condemned, when from woman are born leaders and rulers." It should be noted that homosexuality and bisexuality are accepted as a natural practice in Towadhim, as are trans-sexuality and gender binaries, Scripture barely mentions them, and they are not seen as an issue for great consideration, given that they are viewed much like normative practices. Khoja addresses the relationships between the religion, its adherents' communities and the activities known collectively as science. As with all other branches of human knowledge, science, from a Towadhi standpoint, is the study of nature as stemming from Al-Alaam. These links imply a sacred aspect to the pursuit of scientific knowledge, as nature itself is viewed in the as a compilation of signs pointing to the Divine. It was with this understanding that the pursuit of science is highly respected in Towadhi civilizations.